Hey there, Reader!

As summer winds down, it’s easy to feel the temptation to go big on Labor Day—plan all the things you meant to do but didn’t quite get to, and squeeze in one last hurrah before fall. If that’s your thing, go for it! If you’ve already got plans, I hope they’re full of fun and joy.

But today, I want to speak to those of you who might not have anything planned yet, who feel like maybe you didn’t do enough this summer. Perhaps there’s a bit of parent guilt creeping in, whispering that you could have done more, given your kids more experiences, or been more present.

If that’s you, here’s my advice:

First, if you’re wondering whether you did enough—you did. Real life doesn’t look like a highlight reel, and the simple, everyday moments you spent with your kids are more than enough. Trust me: your kids felt your love in all those moments, whether at home, at camps, or wherever the summer took you.

Second, instead of trying to cram in new activities over Labor Day, I encourage you to revisit the things that were most special to you this summer. Repeating favorite activities strengthens memories and deepens your connection with your kids.

For my family, with a four-year-old and an 18-month-old and two working parents, we’re in a season where big adventures aren’t our speed. Instead, we’ve been savoring simple pleasures all summer and plan to keep doing that.

We’ve been park hopping and library hopping depending on the weather. (Denver area folks, if you haven’t checked out the newly renovated Fulton Park and Sam Gary Library, definitely add it to your list!)

We love good food, so we’ll indulge in more of our favorite takeout (spoiler alert: the favorite is pizza or mac and cheese, nothing fancy).

And we’ll probably end the weekend with some popsicles and bubbles on the porch.

So here’s your permission slip to do a little less and savor the memories that meant the most to you this summer. Sometimes, less is truly more.

Cheering you on,
Leslie

P.S. While I’ve been hanging out with the family, I’ve also been working on some behind-the-scenes stuff for Bright Violet Home. My new website is live! Check it out at ​www.brightviolethome.com​, and I’d love to hear what you think!